Google is collecting carriers.
Sprint Nextel announced that it, too, will support Google's flagship Android smartphone that the search giant is selling through its own online store--the move makes Sprint the last of the Tier 1 U.S. carriers to provide service for the gadget. Sprint did not provide pricing details or an availability date, but said it would announce those details soon. The Nexus One will not be available in Sprint's retail channels.
When Google announced the HTC-made device, T-Mobile USA was the only carrier attached to the phone. Yesterday, Google made a version available that runs on the 3G network of AT&T Mobility and Rogers Wireless. "Customers are free to choose any compatible GSM device, whether we sell them in our stores or not, and we'll be glad to provide great service on the nation's fastest 3G network," an AT&T spokeswoman told FierceWireless. Unlocked, the device is $529, and it is $179 when paired with a two-year T-Mobile contract. No other carrier has so far subsidized the device. Both Verizon Wireless and Vodafone have promised to support the gadget sometime in the spring.
Sprint did not say whether it would subsidize the device, but strongly hinted that it would pair it with a service plan. "While a pricing plan has not yet been determined for Nexus One, we are confident that it will be consistent with Sprint's commitment to deliver more value than our competitors and keep pricing simple," Fared Adib, Sprint vice president of product development, said in a statement.
Though Google has managed to round up some carrier support for the Nexus One, sales figures from mobile analytics firm Flurry show that the gadget isn't selling as fast as the Motorola Droid or the original Apple iPhone. However, in statements made to the blog Engadget, Google noted that the Nexus One is one of many Android phones. "Our partners are shipping more than 60,000 Android handsets each day compared with 30,000 just three months ago," the company said.
For more:
- see this release
- see this Engadget post
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